In a little under a week, Israel's increasingly close relationship with Europe's far right has been thrown into stark relief, drawing condemnation from across the Jewish world.
On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will fly to Hungary to meet Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a leader in the vanguard of Europe's far right. Despite Mr Orban facing accusations of playing off anti-Semitic tropes to appeal to his base and denying anti-Jewish hate in his country's history, Mr Netanyahu openly praises the Hungarian leader.
Since coming into office, Mr Netanyahu has congratulated him for "moral clarity". In 2018, he called Mr Orban a "true friend of Israel".
The trip is the latest episode to highlight the strained relationship between Israel and many traditionally staunchly supportive groups and allies abroad, who are increasingly uncomfortable at the direction of the country’s politics, which for more than two years has been defined by Mr Netanyahu’s far-right coalition. This is all happening as Jewish communities around the globe report an increase in anti-Semitism since the Gaza war began.
Less than a week before his departure, the Prime Minister was the star of one the most controversial gatherings of his coalition's tenure: a conference in Jerusalem to combat anti-Semitism. Attendees who were patient enough to endure a lengthy and intrusive security screening heard from Israel’s leadership that they are doing no less than saving western civilisation from barbarians.
After fiery addresses from founders of alternative media channels on X, pro-Israel journalists and Christian pastors, Mr Netanyahu took to the stage to express some of the strongest words of the day. “Thank you for standing with the forces of civilisation against the forces of barbarism,” he said.
“I say barbarism, because anti-Semitism is a disease carried by barbarians that threaten all civilised societies,” he added, railing against the enemies Israel has been fighting across the Middle East since the Gaza war began. “These anti-Semites wish to destroy not only the Jewish state. They seek to destroy the forces of modernity, and the Arab and Muslim world, they seek to drag it back to a primitive and violent medievalism.”
But it was not so much the Prime Minister's words that were striking, but rather to whom he was saying them. In the audience were a number of far-right European politicians, some of whose parties have origins in the Nazi era.
Their number included Jordan Bardella, the head of France’s National Rally, whose co-founder Jean-Marie Le Pen worked alongside early members that included members of the Waffen SS and militiamen belonging to the collaborationist Vichy regime.
One attendee, Bosnian-Serb leader Milorad Dodik, even had an international arrest warrant issued against him by a Bosnian court for attacking the constitutional order when he was in Israel for the event. He dismissed the warrant, telling AP during the conference that “the Muslims from Sarajevo want to punish me because I came here to Israel supporting Israel”.
Mr Bardella, the highest-profile foreign politician in attendance, delivered a keynote address in which he was emphatic in his support for Israel. He said his party was “the best shield” for France’s Jewish community, the largest in Europe and the second-largest globally. He also said anti-Zionism “is nothing more than an alibi for anti-Semitism” and called for France to take tougher action to fight growing anti-Jewish hate.
But no support from the far-right was strong enough to stop a wave of high-profile boycotts of the event, even from ardently pro-Israel groups, driven by disquiet over who was on the guest list. Organised by the Israeli Diaspora Affairs Ministry, the event was supposed to include the Chief Rabbi of the UK, French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy, International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance heads and German officials in charge of fighting anti-Semitism, all of whom eventually withdrew.
Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli defended the guest list, arguing that invitations were sent to a broad group of political parties and that the far-right European parties in question, with their anti-immigration and anti-Islam policies, protect Jews in Europe, while offering Israel unwavering support in the Gaza war. On the day of the conference, Israeli outlet Haaretz, which was attacked directly at the event by panellists, wrote an editorial with the title: How anti-Semites got invited to an anti-Semitism conference.
“The fact that Foreign Minister Gideon Saar will attend the conference and that its guest of honour will be Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, makes it official: not only is Israel not protecting the world's Jews from anti-Semitism, it encourages it by officially favouring its relations with the far right over its relations with the diaspora,” it concluded.
Israeli pollster and analyst Dahlia Scheindlin told The National that while the event might be “strange” for the Israeli public, “there is a long tradition in Israel of making common cause with unsavoury leaders, based on shared interests”.
“The flirtation between Netanyahu and the Holocaust apologist far right, such as Poland under Law and Justice, or Viktor Orban who flirts with anti-Semitism, is not new,” she added. “The conference seems like another deplorable step but it's part of a pattern, not breaking the mould. I imagine the diaspora is simply mystified and horrified.”
Since the Gaza war began, Israeli leaders have also been driven into the arms of western far-right counterparts for their disdain of international courts. These politicians, unlike their mainstream European counterparts, feel no need to even pay lip service to the importance of such institutions.
Thursday’s conference included frequent attacks on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), the latter of which has issued an arrest warrant against Mr Netanyahu, as well as former defence minister Yoav Gallant. Mr Saar said that after failing to wipe out Israel in battle, “the radical Islamist world, led by Iran … pivoted to a new weapon: legal warfare”.
“We see this in the anti-Semitic actions of the ICC, ICJ and the United Nations Human Rights Council,” he said. “These institutions were created to promote justice and make the world safer. Instead, they have become tools for those wishing to erase the Jewish state.”
Indeed, mirroring Mr Dodik’s situation, Mr Netanyahu's Hungary trip is being viewed as an expression of defiance against his international warrant. It will be his first trip to Europe since it was issued last year. Hungary is a signatory to the Rome Statute, meaning it should in theory take Mr Netanyahu into custody on arrival, but Mr Orban has rejected the court's action.
Coming less than a week after the conference, both events make clear that Israel’s ever-closer relationship with the European far right is getting stronger. Whether it is a process driven by the Netanyahu coalition’s embrace of extremist politics or a sign of a deeper acceptance in Israeli society of questionable partners as long as they are staunchly anti-Islamist and pro-Israel, remains to be seen.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Results
6pm: Dubai Trophy – Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: Silent Speech, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby
(trainer)
6.35pm: Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m
Winner: Island Falcon, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
7.10pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Dirt)
1,400m
Winner: Rawy, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.45pm: Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Desert Fire, Hector Crouch, Saeed bin Suroor
8.20pm: Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Naval Crown, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.55pm: Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Al Tariq, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watsons
9.30pm: Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Dubai Icon, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
UAE squad
Rohan Mustafa (captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
SPECS
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MWTC
Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
